Steam-engine



NITED STATES PATENT 'FFICE,

DANIEL A. FRAZER, OF MANCELONA, MICHIGAN.

sTEAM -ENGlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 395,822, dated January8, 1889.

Application filed August 30, 1888. Serial No. 284,200. (No model.)

To all whom, zit may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL A. FRAZER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at hilancelona, in the county ofAntrim and State of ll'lichigan, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Steam-Engines; and I 1 do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of steam-enginesknown as single acting; and the objects of my invention are, first, toreduce friction upon the crank-shaf t and secure a more nearlytangential action of the connecting-rod upon the crank; second, to causethe pressure of steam at each stroke to act during more than one-half ofthe revolution; third, to avoid dead-centers; fourth, to lap the actionof steam in the respective cylinders and secure a more uniform actionupon the shaft. 1 attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of an engineembodying my invention; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same with partof the frame broken away and one cylinder in longitudinal section, andFig. 3 a detail showing position of crank and connections at thetermination of the outstroke of the piston.

Like letters refer tolike parts in all the figures.

A represents any suitable frame; 13 3, two cylinders of equal dimensionsside by side and parallel to each other and open at both ends; 0, asteam-chest connecting with the middle of each by live-steam ports D Dand with the open air by the exhaust-port E, one livesteam port, D,connecting with each cylinder, which are each provided with twopistonheads, R R, which traverse the respective ends of said cylindersfrom the ports D outward and return at each revolution of the crank, thesteam acting against both on the outstroke and exhausting 011 thereturnstroke. Said heads are provided with rods 1, cross-heads H, andguides G, or the cylinders may be made longer and suitable cuppedpistons may be used, omitting the rods, crossheads, and guides andattaching the connecting-rods directly to the pistons.

.l' is the crank-shaft, set a little below the axis of the cylinders,having cranks set opposite each other and in front of the respectivecylinders. From these cranks to the adjacent (or front) cross-headsextend connecting-rods H l:l,havin j oints K K near the middle of each.

L L are levers fulcrumed near the middle of each to the frame A, pivotedat their upper ends to the connecting-rods H H near the joints K andbetween said joints and the cranks, the lower ends of said levers L L being connected to the rear cross-heads by pivoted connecting-rods H II.

P is a pulley on the crank-shaft.

N is an eccentric, which operates an ordinary D-valve in thesteam-chestC by means of the connecting-rod M, rock-shaft Q, andvalve-rod O.

The operation of my device is as follows: The steam in the chest (I isadmitted to and exhausted from each cylinder alternately, the same as incase of therespcctive ends of an ordinary double-acting engine. Passinthrough the ports D D, the steam is confined between the pistons R R andforces them apart, each cylinder acting alternately upon its respectivecrank. The pressure upon the rear piston tends to throw the upper end ofthe lever L toward the crank-shaft and aids in turning the shaft. Thepressure upon the forward piston tends to force the joint K forward anddownward, and the lever L, acting as a fulcrum, tends to throw the crankupward, thus reducing the friction upon the shaft-bearings and throwingthe crank off the center, also directing the force in a more nearlytangential line to the path of the crank. As the crank approaches theforward center, the joint K rises above the end of the lever L. Thepressure upon the crank is then forward and downward, thus securing likeresults at the termination of the stroke. By thus changing thedirection. of the pressure upon the crank I am able to exert a forwardpressure upon the same both before and after it passes the level of theaxis or the usual dead-centers, thus securing action of the steam uponthe crank during considerably more than one-half of the revolution ineach case. I am also thus enabled to lap the action of the steam in therespective cylinders, the action commencing in one cylinder before itceases in the other. 1

can also secure a much. steadier forward pressure upon the crank than bythe usual direct conneeting-rod. It will also be observed that thepressure upon the connections between the pistons and cranks isconstantly in one direetion, thus avoiding any knocking in ease thejoints lneeome loosened or worn.

In place of the rear piston-heads stationary heads may be substit'ut'edthe rear half of the cylinder omitted, together with all parts eonnecting' said piston-heads to and including the lower ends of the leversI), and an operw tive engine will remain o1 less eapacity and cost.

\Vhat I claim and wish to seeure is as follows:

l. In a st cam-engine, in combination with a piston and. crank, aeonneeting-rod having a joint near its middle and a lever pivoted to theframe and to said rod between the said joint and the eranl ,sulistttntially as deseribed.

2. In a steam-engine, a eylinder having a stean'i-port at ornear its iniddle an d two si ugh acting pistons moving in opposite directionsl'ron1 said port and connected to a common erank-shalj't, substantiallas described 3 In a stetun-ene'ine, a eylinder having a centralsteam-port, two single-aeting pistons moving in opposite directions fromsaid port, one of said pistons attached to t he crank by aconnect-inga'od, and a lever having a fulcrum near its middle andattached at one end to said connecting-rod and connected at the otherend to the other of said pistons, substantially as described.

4. In a steam-engine, a eylinder open at both ends having a centralsteam-port, two pistons moving in opposite diections from said port, onepiston attached to the crank by a rod having a joint near its middle,and a lever pivoted near its middle and eonnected at one end to said rodbetween said joint and erank and at its other end to the other of saidpistons by a conneoting-rod, substantially as described.

In a steam-engi n e, two cylinders arranged parallel to each other andopen at both ends, each having a central port connecting it to aeomn'lon lltjtlllbflllOSli and opening under the respective ends of aD-valve, in eoinlnnation with eonneeting-roills attaching said pistonsto a common crankshaft, whereby each cylinder acts alternatel and thepistons in each cylinder (met-ate in opposite directions to turn saidshaft, substantially as described.

In testimony whereofl at'tix my signature in presenee of two witnesses.

DANIEL A. FRAZER.

\Vitnesses:

t. L. BAILEY, N. W. BURDIcK.

